mild scandal of the
the time outshone
what succeeded it.
people’s memories
caused what used to
be known as
The Great War
to be outshone by
a countryside scandal.

The scandal outshone a
mild outbreak
in the autumn before
The Great War.

the scandal was in
Oxfordshire.
a countryside of
slow winding rivers
flowing eastward and south
through clay country
and meadowlands.

Nettleby Park was protected
by the slow winding river
and meadowland.
in 1913, Sir Randolf Nettleby
a country gentleman
and Glass, the groundskeeper,
caused a mild scandal.

the boundary was
the river and the
Park was very big.
pheasants reared
in the spring and summer
by autumn fed Glass
and his son, Dan.

in the autumn
darkness fell early.
home from shooting
with pheasant in hand,
Glass reached his cottage door
a laugh from inside?
Flo laughed admiringly.

Sir Randolph’s Flo
young and beautiful.
Flo belonged with
the country gentleman.
but laughed admiringly
at Glass.

a mild scandal
at the time,
but people’s memories
caused an outbreak
that outshone
The Great War!

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